Ball State to face Ohio State and Loyola over the weekend
Tough matches are in line for the Ball State men’s volleyball team over the weekend. The Cardinals are scheduled to play Ohio State as well as Loyola in the upcoming matches. Both the rival teams have dealt Ball State hard blows in the past and the Cardinals will now be looking to redeem themselves against its Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association rivals.
The Cardinals have not been able to gain dominance over the Buckeyes, which is the number sixth ranked team for over a period of three years now. During all this time, Ball State has suffered three consecutive losses at the hands of the Buckeyes in the MIVA tournament. Ohio State have had nine wins in this season overall at the cost of just two losses. Their MIVA record is far more impressive. Ohio State has secured three wins and hasn’t lost a match in the prestigious tournament.
Ball State’s coach Joel Walton commented on Ohio State’s team in the following words: "They're very consistent offensively, and defensively, they can put a lot of pressure on you."
There are more than a couple of outstanding veteran players in the Buckeye’s line-up. Kevin Heine, Shawn Sangrey and Grayson Overman are all position holders in important areas of MIVA volleyball. Sangrey is the number one player in terms of service aces and points. The other two players, namely Overman and Heine have placed themselves in the second and third spots for highest hitting percentages.
Despite such overwhelming player statistics that Ohio State features, the Ball State team members are looking ahead with a positive attitude and not letting it daunt their spirits. Greg Herceg, who is a sophomore in the Cardinals team, expressed his team’s sentiments in the following words: "We know what we're in for, so just have to prepare ourselves for that. I definitely think this year we have a way better cohesive team. We've got a lot more positive attitude. I think that's going to pay off a lot in these high-pressure games."
Coming on to an analysis of the next contender, let’s have a look at what package does the number 13th ranked Loyola team is bringing for the Cardinals. The Loyola team has not had a bad season either. They have been able to secure eight wins so far while suffering from three losses. Their MIVA statistics show three victories and no defeats.
The latest win that Loyola managed to pull off last week, was an impressive one. The team was able to defeat the number two ranking Brigham Young University in a match that went on till five sets. The victory was achieved by a 3-2 win.
The Cardinals are up against the Ohio State at 7:30 p.m. on Friday while they face Loyola on Saturday at the same time.
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